


Fragile

by piano_unicorn



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: First Kiss, Greed Island Arc, M/M, Sparring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22301128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piano_unicorn/pseuds/piano_unicorn
Summary: A bit of fluff about my favorite ship, and how I think their first kiss would go down. I'm hoping to turn this into a longer fic eventually, but it's just a one shot for now. Rated T for some mild swearing.
Relationships: Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck
Comments: 3
Kudos: 115





	Fragile

He had to stop staring at Gon. 

Had he always stared, he wondered? Had it started at the Hunter Exam? Had he stared at Gon as they raced down that tunnel on the first day they met?

_Probably_ , he thought woefully, _freaking idiot_.

The first time he caught himself doing it he was sitting at the top of a hill on Whale Island. The air had smelled of the forest and campfire smoke. The breeze was cool and refreshing after a long summer's day. And the stars were beautiful. Or at least, Gon had said they were beautiful. And when he did, Killua realized he hadn't been looking at the stars at all but had instead been staring at his best friend. He could still remember the feeling of horror that had overcome him at that particular realization.

Over the next few months, He had tried to stop himself, he really had. But it was only when he started trying to stop that he realized just how much of his time was spent watching Gon. He could spend his every conscious moment actively looking away, and yet, his eyes still drifted to Gon constantly as though that were their natural alignment.

Gon was the sun after all, and Killua was helplessly caught in his orbit.

At this particular moment Killua was staring at Gon’s back as he stretched. His green tank top clung to him, stained darker in some places by sweat. Killua could see his muscles moving underneath. If he squinted, he could just make out a faint tan line where the edge of the tank met Gon's shoulder. Gon pulled his arms over his head, flexing the lean, corded muscles in his back, and Killua suddenly felt inexplicably dizzy.

He shook his head vigorously, hoping to dislodge any bit of self control and dignity still living somewhere in his brain. With great effort, he tore his eyes from Gon’s back and began his own regimen of stretches. He bent forward, touching the ground with his palms. Inhaling slowly, he closed his eyes, focusing in on his breathing and on the heavy soreness in his muscles. 

Bisky had sent them away at the crack of dawn to train. Most days, she set them some specific—often grueling and frustrating—task. Ostensibly, these tasks were created to help them train, but Killua believed wholeheartedly that the old hag designed them specifically for her own perverse amusement 

Today though, Bisky had rudely shoved them out of bed at the break of dawn, ordered them to eat the sandwiches she tossed in their faces, and barked at them to spar until dusk and to stay out of her hair.

The lazy old bitch probably just wanted a day off.

But still, Killua really couldn’t complain. Bisky's training was deeply unpleasant; sparring with Gon was decidedly not. The feeling of standing toe to toe with someone so equally matched to himself, of pushing each other to their limits, of slowly noticing gradually improvements in both their fighting styles. It was, in a word, exhilarating. Not to mention, he didn’t have to worry about getting caught staring while sparring...You were supposed to stare at your opponent during a fight after all.

True to Bisky’s orders, they’d been sparring all day, taking 15 minute intervals between fights to stretch and tend to any minor scrapes and bruises. They'd established the rules themselves:

1\. no weapons

2\. no hiding or running away

3\. a match was over when one of them pinned the other for more than 10 seconds or someone forfeited

The last point was moot, though. Neither of them had every forfeited. 

After a full day of fighting, Killua was tired, and it was clear Gon was too. He could see the way Gon’s limbs moved sluggishly through his stretches, his motions devoid of the poise and precision they’d had this morning. Killua’s own muscles felt like putty, and they only reluctantly followed his orders.

Judging by the sun’s position low on the horizon, this would probably be their last match. And, as luck would have it, they were currently tied. 6 pins each. Whoever won this won the day. Nothing like the promise of a day's worth of bragging rights to motivate a person.

The 15 minutes were up. Gon turned abruptly from his hamstring stretch, catching Killua’s eye with a characteristic bright smile. (It was this moment that Killua realized he’d been staring again.)

They never really needed a countdown or word to signal they were starting. After so many months of fighting, all it took was a look passed between them, and they were off

Gon attacked first, pushing off hard from the ground and barreling toward Killua at top speed.

Killua's heart was already thrumming with adrenaline. He dodged easily, flipping effortlessly over Gon’s shoulder and reestablishing a safe distance.

Before he could catch his breath, Gon was already launching another attack, still at top speed, this time lower to the ground, aiming for Killua’s legs.

Again, escape was simple. This time Killua forewent the showy back-flip and just dashed away easily.

His mind was racing, now. Gon was attacking unusually, relying on speed instead of strength, which was frankly a fool's errand in a fight against Killua. Was Gon so tired he delusionally thought he could outstrip Killua’s speed? Did he think that Killua was so tired he wouldn’t be able to move as quickly as usual? No, Gon wasn't that stupid. He was up to something...but what?

Killua narrowed his eyes as he twisted his body away from Gon’s next attack. This time he was able to strike Gon once in the stomach before darting away. Gon was still moving at top speed, tracing wide circles around Killua. To be fair, Gon's speed would seem impressive to any normal person. But Killua was not a normal person... 

What was he up to?

As Killua blocked Gon’s incoming punch and flipped several yards away, he began frantically scanning their surroundings for any indication of Gon’s plan. They were inside a huge circle rimmed with giant boulders, some nearly 10 feet high. They’d found this place a couple weeks back and had been using it as a makeshift fighting ring ever since. There was ample space inside and no real barriers or landmarks, just yards and yards of uninterrupted sand and pebbles. It was perfect.

There was no spot for Gon to have laid a trap, and he didn’t appear to be leading Killua anywhere specific. They were slowly moving away from the center of the ring, though. Maybe Gone was going to try to pin him against the rocks at the edge of the ring? That didn’t seem likely, though. He’d tried that strategy to no avail a week ago. The rocks provided too much area for Killua to maneuver. Once Killua had claimed the high ground Gon had been unable to force him down, and Killua had ultimately won that round mostly through attrition. He had waited Gon out, letting the other's frustrating build. (Gon hated waiting more than just about anything.) But Killua was old hat at waiting. He bided his time until Gon was momentarily distracted by a bird that flew low over their heads. And then he pounced, leaping from his perch and pinning Gon to the ground.

Killua knew it wasn’t an experience Gon was eager to repeat.

Once again, Killua easily dodged Gon’s incoming kick and landed a solid punch to the other’s chin. He heard Gon grunt heavily, but his speed didn’t relent.

He was definitely aiming Killua towards the rocks. They were close enough now that it had to be intentional.

_Fuck that_ , Killua thought as he made to jump away, back toward the center of the ring.

But Gon was having none of it. He wasn’t fast enough to intercept Killua, but he clearly had a plan. As Killua landed from his flip, Gon knelt suddenly (the first time he’d stopped sprinting the entire match) and punched the ground with incredible force.

Eight feet away, Killua’s feet suddenly felt uncharacteristically unsteady beneath him. Gon had hit the ground hard enough to cause the tiniest of earthquakes. The sand didn’t move much, but it moved, sliding like water under Killua’s feet. He heard himself gasp as he struggled, just for an instant to gain his footing.

But that instant was long enough for Gon to appear again behind him, once again at top speed, and once again aiming Killua towards the wall of rocks.

They continued in this manner for what felt like ages. Though, realistically, it was probably only a few minutes. Killua would make a move to get away, and Gon would intercept him with some new trick to force Killua to the rocks.

_Fine then_ , Killua thought as he saw a giant bolder appear in his a periphery a couple feet away. Just as has he had the last time, Killua effortlessly vaulted himself atop the rock, gaining the high ground over Gon.

For the first time this match, Killua felt as though he finally had the upper hand. This bolder was about 8 feet high, high enough that Gon couldn't easily reach him with out clearly telegraphing his movements.

Killua felt himself relax just slightly before he caught the sudden, victorious smile on Gon’s face and felt a cold sinking in the pit of his stomach.

The next thing he knew, the most tremendous crash he’d ever heard split the air, and he was falling. For the second time that day, the ground shifted beneath his feet. But this time, he was utterly helpless. Gon had punched the rock face hard enough that it crumbled under Killua’s feet.

As he fell, Killua felt jagged bits of rock scraping his limbs. Dust and debris clouded his vision and stung his eyes. The earth was quite literally falling away.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, it stopped. And Killua found himself standing in shadow with his back against cool rock and Gon’s arm across his chest.

The crumbling rock had created a small pocket, a miniature cave of sorts within the bolder. Killua was pressed into that pocket, Gon's arm pinning him against the wall. Though it was midday, the tiny rock cleft cast the boys in a deep shadow. The air was filled with the heavy sounds of their labored breathing.

"Gotcha," Gon said, a victorious smile splitting his face.

_Idiot_ , Killua thought, _I should have seen through his plan._

The seconds ticked by.

_It's been more than 10 seconds,_ a dim voice in the back of Killua's mind commented.

Gon didn't move, keeping Killua pressed against the rock. His victorious smile slowly faded into an intense look, and his eyes flickered inquisitively over Killua's face. 

It was as though Killua could _feel_ Gon's gaze burning across his face. His head was spinning. His senses felt off kilter. Suddenly he couldn’t hear any of the birds and various wildlife that had been chattering away moments before. But he could hear Gon’s breathing, and the hammering of his own heartbeat.

He couldn’t think, couldn’t process properly.

He couldn't think. But he was somehow intensely aware of the way Gon smelled…musky and sour like sweat and sweet like earth and bright like…like…pine.

_How does he smell like pine in the middle of a desert?_ Killua gawped. 

The loose rock shifted under Killua’s feet and Gon’s hand moved from his chest to grasp Killua’s arm, steadying him. The place where Gon’s hand connected with his arm felt strangely hot.

The newly created rock cleft was, realistically, maybe a yard deep. Their two bodies barely fit inside. And yet Killua could hardly see the wall of sunlight just a few feet away. All he could see was Gon’s small, soft smile. And Gon’s rumpled hair. And the look in Gon’s eyes that Killua couldn’t quite read. A look that now seemed less smug about his victory and more…curious...softer and more intense at the same time.

Killua was staring again. His brain screamed to look away. He felt adrenaline—whether from the fight or their current situation he couldn’t tell—pulsing through his veins. He should push Gon's hand away and make some snarky joke.

_No!_ his brain screamed. _He should run away!_ He should escape...or...or something…but he was utterly unable to move.

"Killua," Gon's voice shattered the silence, "Can a kiss you?"

Killua felt his face flush. He tried not to dwell on the thought that he was probably the color of bubblegum right now. His throat felt tight impossibly tight.

"Wh..what? W...wh...why?" He choked out, his voice barely a whisper but seemingly deafening in the small space.

Gon shrugged and his soft smile deepened, "Because I want to."

Seemingly outside of all good sense and reason, in this moment seemingly outside of time and space, without even realizing he was doing it, Killua nodded slowly.

And then suddenly Gon was close, so close, _too_ close. And Killua could count the freckles on his nose, could see the specks of green and gold in his eyes. But then he couldn’t because Gon’s eyes were closed now. And then he felt hot breath on his face.

Too close...too close...but somehow not close enough.

Gon’s lips were rough, chapped and flaky from the desert winds. And they were warm and the slightest bit wet. And they felt so firm and lovely against Killua’s own.

And Killua could smell pine again.

And his best friend was kissing him.

Killua was too shocked to close his eyes. (You were supposed to close your eyes when you kissed someone, right?) He could see Gon’s freckles, and smell his woodsy scent, and feel his calloused hands now gripping both of Killua’s arms and his rough, wonderful lips against Killua’s own.

And then it was over. And Gon was leaning away with a satisfied smile, relinquishing his hold and moving out of Killua’s space. He was saying something about Bisky and dinner. But the ability to hear properly hadn’t returned to Killua yet.

Killua shook the cobwebs from his head and looked away, looked at anything but Gon. He wondered if he could force his blush away through sheer force of will. So far, it wasn't working.

“You ok?” Gon asked, tilting his head to one side. _Like a puppy_ , Killua thought.

“Y-yeah…yeah, I’m good,” Killua responded. His voice sounded weird and felt thick in his throat. “Did Bisky say she was gonna catch us something for dinner?”

“Yup!” Gon said, already hurrying across the landscape towards their camp in the distance. “But she said she’d eat it all if we weren’t back before dark and the sun’s already going down!”

Killua could see the sky slowly turning a burnt orange behind the outline of Gon’s head.

“Race ya!” Gon called, and took off sprinting toward the horizon.

“Baka! You can’t beat me!” Killua called and took off after him.


End file.
